Behind the Cork™ - Josh Rosé

2020 Josh Rose ($14.99)

Josh Cellars is a negociant brand which means they don’t own a winery or any vineyards, just like many of the world’s greatest wineries in Bordeaux and Burgundy France. But, they do work with California’s best growers to produce great wines.

The grapes used to make this Josh Rosé were picked in cool conditions and moved immediately to the winery where they were pressed and the juice sent directly to a tank. This very brief period of time that the juice is in contact with the skins lead to the beautiful salmon color of this rosé.

This Josh Rosé has delicate red fruit aromas including strawberry and raspberry. On this palate, this light-bodied rosé has rich flavors of strawberry, melon and peach along with bright acidity. The bright fruit flavors make for a sweet flavor sensation, yet this wine (at 12.5% Alcohol by Volume) is considered ‘dry.’

This Josh Rosé is a wonderfully light and refreshing wine at a great price. Perfect as the Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week. Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Sample Provided by Josh Cellars via Forte Mare

Behind the Cork™ - Domaine Bousquet Sparkling Rosé

Domaine Bousquet Sparkling Rosé ($13)

Domaine Bousquet was founded on virgin land in 1997 in the Gualtallary sub-zone of Tupungato in Mendoza’s Uco Valley. Today, the estate, run by daughter Anne Bousquet and husband Labid al Ameri, is Argentina’s largest exporter of wines made from certified organic grapes. All wines are made from 100% certified organic fruit grown at a cool 4,000-foot-high altitude and crafted with a French winemaking sensibility.

This Sparkling Rosé is produced from 75% Pinot Noir and 25% Chardonnay grapes that are harvested manually. The first fermentation uses selected yeast for 15 days. The second fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks and lasts for about 30 days.

This Domaine Bousquet Sparkling Rosé is a beautiful salmon color with delicate aromas and bubbles. On the palate this light-bodied wine has flavors of strawberry and raspberry with refreshing acidity.

This Domaine Bousquet Sparkling Rosé is a really wonderful sparkling wine that’s available at a great price which makes it a great fit as this week’s Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week. Cheers!


Alcohol By Volume: 12.5%, Acidity: 7.8 g/L, pH: 3.26, Residual Sugar: 8.2 g/L

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Sample Provided by Domaine Bousquet (via Creative Palate Communications)

Ever Wonder? What is Blanc de Blancs?

Have you ever seen a bottle of sparkling wine that has “Blanc de Blancs” on the label and wondered what it is?

Well, Blanc de Blancs is a term from the Champagne region in France. It is used to refer to champagne produced entirely from white grapes, most commonly Chardonnay. Other grapes such as Pinot Blanc and Arbane are also permitted to be used, as well as a number of other varieties, but they are less common.

Blanc de Blancs is different from the majority of champagnes that are made with a traditional blend of white and red grapes, usually Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier.

It is also different from Blanc de Noirs champagne, which is produced exclusively from black (noir) grapes such as Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.

Blanc de Blancs champagnes are typically lighter, drier, and fruitier than Blanc de Noirs while Blanc de Noir wines can be richer with a fuller body.

Blanc de Blancs sparkling wines are produced in two sub-regions of Champagne France - Cote des Blanc and Cote de Sezanne.

Blanc de Blancs sparkling wines are made in the Champagne region of France using the traditional ‘Methode Champenoise’ where the secondary fermentation takes place in the bottle.

So, next time you see Blancs de Blancs you’ll know it’s made entirely from white grapes! Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ - Domaine Bousquet Gran-Cabernet Sauvignon

2020 Domaine Bousquet Gran-Cabernet Sauvignon ($20)

This wine began life in the first vineyard planted by the Bousquet family in 2000, after their arrival from France. In the high desert of Uco Valley in Argentina’s Mendoza region, the site captured the family’s imagination based on its sandy soil (low-fertility sandy soil makes for elegant wines) and its access to water. The grapes for this wine are the last to be harvested, ensuring more richness and body.

The organic grapes were hand-harvested along with careful hand selection of the clusters and grapes. It was cold macerated for 72 to 96 hours. Fermentation was with selected yeast for 12 days along with 20 days of maceration. It then underwent 100% Malolactic Conversion before being aged in French oak for 10 months.

This Gran-Cabernet Sauvignon is produced from 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Malbec. It is deep purple in color with big aromas of dark fruits, vanilla and a bit of pepper. On the palate, this wonderful full-bodied dry wine has dark fruit flavors, medium-high tannin and hints of oak. It finishes nicely.

It’s hard to find a Cabernet Sauvignon of this quality at this price. That’s why it’s featured as this week’s Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week. Cheers!

Alcohol by Volume: 15%, Acidity: 5.92 g/L/ pH 3.62, Residual Sugar: 2.9 g/L

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Sample Provided by Domaine Bousquet (via Creative Palate Communications)

Your Oaked Wine May Have Never Been in an Oak Barrel!

Image by FreePik

Oak is used extensively in winemaking during fermentation and aging. It can add flavor compounds – including aromas of vanilla, clove, smoke and coconut.

Oak barrels also allow the slow ingress of oxygen – a process which makes wine taste smoother and less astringent.

Oak barrels also provide a great environment for certain reactions to occur, specifically Malolactic Conversion.

While oak wine barrels are made of French, American and Hungarian oak, they are all expensive. And they only impart flavor to wines during their first two to three uses, after which they are considered ‘neutral.’

So, to get the oak flavors without all the cost, some wines are made with oak chips, oak cubes, oak staves and even oak powder. Using these oak barrel alternatives allows wine makers to use less expensive containers (e.g., Stainless Steel tanks) and still get the desired oak flavors. After the wine has had the necessary time in contact with the chips, cubes, staves or powder, they are physically removed or filtered out and consumers never know the difference.

This may seem ‘wrong’ to many wine purists, but it is allowing winemakers to produce oak flavors in their wines at considerably lower costs. And, studies have been done that show consumers can’t tell the difference. Wine labels don’t tell us the difference, but if oak alternatives are used, and you enjoy the wine, then I’d say the winemaker succeeded! Cheers!